Samosas are some of the finest of Indian pastries. Filling, flavorful, and full of surprises, there's never been a samosa I didn't like. There are more recipes for samosas than humans on this earth, but I've found this recipe to be the easiest way to prepare these treats. Enjoy them...
Ingredients
For Dough
- 2cupall-purpose flour
- 3/4tspkosher salt
- 1/3cupvegetable oil
- 1/2cupwater, as needed
For Filling
- 2medium-sized potatoes
- 1/4inpeeled and cut into pieces
- kosher salt
- vegetable oil
- 1tspcumin seeds
- 1onion
- chopped
- 2tspminced ginger
- 1/2cangreen chili (either a jalapeño or serrano pepper) minced ( be seeded or unseeded depending on the spice level you’re looking for)
- 1tspground coriander
- 1/2tspGaram Masala
- 1/4tspcayenne pepper (more to taste)
- 1cupfrozen peas
- 2tbspchopped cilantro
- juice of half a lemon
- vegetable oil for deep frying
How to make Samosas
For Dough
Mix the flour, salt, and vegetable oil together. The dough will be crumbly.
Slowly add the water until a solid dough begins to form. You may not need all the water.
Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, just until the dough feels slightly elastic.
Place in a bowl and cover with a cloth or or plastic wrap while you work on the filling.
For Filling
Boil the potatoes in salted water until they're fork-tender (about 10 - 15 minutes). Drain and set aside for later.
Meanwhile, have your onion, ginger, chili, and spices ready. Heat a tbsp of vegetable oil in a medium-sized pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they're just browned and start to become fragrant (2 - 3 minutes).
Add the onions, ginger, and chili and cook until the onion has softened, about 3 - 5 minutes. Add in the coriander, Garam Masala, and cayenne pepper. Stir until everything is mixed and let cook for another minute.
Add the peas and cook until they've turned light green. (By this point, you may need to add a splash of water here and there if the mixture is sticking to the pan).
Add the potatoes and stir into the mixture. Then add the cilantro and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Take off heat and let cool to room temperature before proceeding with the next steps.
For Assembling
Take your dough and divide it into 12 equally-sized balls. (They don't need to be perfectly round).
Take one ball and roll the dough into a 6-inch circular shape. It's okay if the shape isn't perfectly circular. Cut the dough in half.
On one half, add about a tablespoon's worth of filling. Have a small bowl of water handy. Dip a finger into the water and outline the outer edges of the pastry. (This will help the pastry to stick together as you're folding it). Take one edge of the dough and fold over the filling. Use your fingers to press the dough together along the edges so that it seals. Continue with the other half of the dough.
Repeat this process with each ball of dough. You can adjust how much filling you put in, depending on how well the dough shapes over it. Continue until you've made all the samosas. **You can stop here if you intend to cook the samosas later. Simply put them on a platter, cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel, and place in the fridge until you're ready to use them.
Frying
Once all of your samosas are assembled, heat up the oil in a pan or deep fryer. If using a pan, make sure the oil is at least an inch deep. Heat until the oil is 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add up to three samosas at a time and deep-fry until golden brown. This should take no more than 3 to 5 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, take out the samosas and place on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
Tips & Tricks
While the traditional samosa shape is a cone, getting the pastry to adhere to this shape can be tricky and sometimes it’s more trouble than it’s worth. If that’s the case for you, there’s no shame in going with the ‘empanada’ or ‘pot sticker’ shape. Do what feels right.
Feel free to add something to the filling or adjust the spices to your liking. If you like things spicy, I'd suggest adding more cayenne pepper, not more chili.
Recipe by
Rachel Zorn Kindermann
(@rkindermann)
I'm a plant-based eater and food writer dedicated to making cooking and plant-based eating approachable and fun! I'm the creator of Samosas and Mimosas and...